Senate President Bukola Saraki says the “open intimidation and harassment of voters” in the Kwara house of representatives bye-election is sending a wrong signal ahead of the 2019 general election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Raheem Ajuloopin, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), winner of the bye-election in Ekiti/Oke-Ero/Irepodun/Isin federal constituency.

He polled 21,236 votes to defeat his closest opponent Saheed Alatise of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who came second with 18,095 votes.

The election was conducted following the death of Funke Adedoyin, member representing the constituency.

In a series of posts on his Twitter page on Saturday, Saraki accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of bringing security operatives and thugs into the state to intimidate voters, which resulted into a low turnout.

He said the election was held under “tensed and militarized conditions”, while security operatives openly supported the APC and harassed PDP leaders and their supporters.

The senate president added that even officials of INEC complained about their own safety.

He said such “open display of intimidation and misuse of security operatives” will undermine democracy if not checked.

This is the first election since the defection of Saraki from APC to PDP.

The Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) has described the ongoing distribution of money to traders in the name of a social intervention as bait to sway Nigerian into voting for the ruling party, adding that the timing of the intervention was questionable.

The Forum of State Chairmen of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), have said that they will continue to respect the decision of majority of delegates of the party that overwhelmingly elected Mr. Donald Duke as presidential candidate of the party.

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, has charged the Corporation Downstream company, NNPC Retail, to increase its current 14 per cent market share to 30 per cent by 2020.

Twitter

Most Popular

A Federal High Court Lagos, on Wednesday, further adjourned until Jan. 22, 2019 for report of settlement in a suit between MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over repatriation of 8.1 billion dollars.

Management of the NASCON Allied Industries Plc, a subsidiary of the Dangote Industries Limited has pledged its commitment towards a healthy living by the people by producing products that meet the physical and mental needs of the people.